Sushmita Sen chose name 'Renee' at 18, years before adopting her daughter
Synopsis
Sushmita Sen had the name 'Renee' picked at 18 — and when she walked into the adoption centre at 24, she called it out to every child until one smiled back. What followed was a decision she refused to reverse even after officials revealed the infant had serious health complications. It remains one of Bollywood's most extraordinary adoption stories.
Key Takeaways
Sushmita Sen adopted her daughter Renee at age 24 , having chosen the name when she was just 18 .
She used the name as a test at the adoption centre, calling out 'Renee' to each child until one reacted — an infant who was nearly asleep but opened her eyes and smiled.
Officials revealed after her selection that the child had acute gastroenteritis and bronchitis , had spent four months in hospital since birth, and might not be mentally fit a year later.
The health warning did not change Sushmita's decision; she called her parents immediately to say she had 'found Renee'.
Sushmita reflected: 'She didn't choose me; I chose her.
But, down the line, I hope she chooses me back.'
Actress Sushmita Sen adopted her first daughter, Renee, at the age of 24 — a decision rooted in a conviction she had formed six years earlier. In a candid appearance on veteran actress Simi Garewal's popular chat show, Sushmita revealed that she had already decided on the name 'Renee' for her future daughter when she was just 18 years old.
The Unique Test She Used to Find Her Daughter
Sushmita described a deeply personal method she used to identify her child among the many she met at the adoption centre. She would call out the name 'Renee' to each child, trusting that the right one would respond. 'My logic was that I had to meet every single child and call her Renee. And the one who reacted would be my baby,' she explained on the show.
The moment arrived with a drowsy infant who was nearly asleep. 'Then, there was Renee, who was kind of sleepy, tired, and almost asleep. She just looked when we said Renee, and she just opened her eyes. She smiled and reacted to her name beautifully,' the 'Biwi No 1' actress recounted.
A Health Warning That Changed Nothing
The moment Sushmita chose little Renee, adoption officials disclosed a significant health concern they had withheld until she made her selection. 'Till this point, nobody told me there was a health problem. After I said that this was the baby, they turned around and said 'but we have a problem with this child. She, from the time of her birth, has been in the hospital for four months. She has acute gastroenteritis and bronchitis, and because of the heavy dose of antibiotics, she was bumped into her six-month-old baby. Her nerves were busted. There are a lot of problems and she may not be mentally fit a year later',' the 'Arya' actress recalled.
The disclosure did not alter her resolve. Sushmita's conviction that Renee was her daughter remained unshaken despite the medical uncertainty that lay ahead.
The Call That Sealed the Decision
After making up her mind, Sushmita reached out to her parents with the news that felt inevitable to her. 'Then, I called up my mother and father, at that point, and I said, I found Renee,' she shared. In a reflection that captured the unilateral nature of adoption, she added: 'For this child, she had no choice. She didn't choose me; I chose her. But, down the line, I hope she chooses me back.'
A Story That Continues to Resonate
Sushmita Sen became one of Bollywood's most prominent voices on single-parent adoption, having adopted a second daughter, Alisah, years later. Her willingness to discuss the emotional and medical complexities of Renee's adoption — including the health risks she accepted — has made this account one of the most-cited examples of non-traditional family-building in Indian popular culture. This comes amid a broader public conversation in India about adoption hurdles, single-parent eligibility, and child welfare norms.
Point of View
But it resurfaces periodically because it cuts through the sanitised version of celebrity adoption. Sushmita Sen walked into that centre with a name, a method, and a certainty — and then absorbed a serious medical risk without hesitation. What mainstream coverage tends to overlook is the structural point embedded in her account: officials withheld the child's health status until after she had committed, which raises real questions about adoption centre disclosure practices. The emotional resonance of the story should not crowd out that detail. Sushmita's journey with Renee is compelling precisely because it was never the straightforward feel-good narrative it is sometimes reduced to.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Sushmita Sen adopt her daughter Renee?
Sushmita Sen adopted Renee when she was 24 years old. She had decided on the name 'Renee' for her future daughter six years earlier, at age 18.
How did Sushmita Sen identify Renee as her daughter?
Sushmita visited each child at the adoption centre and called out the name 'Renee', believing the child who responded would be hers. A drowsy infant opened her eyes and smiled at the name, and that was the moment Sushmita knew.
What health problems did Renee have at the time of adoption?
According to Sushmita, officials disclosed after she had made her choice that the infant had acute gastroenteritis and bronchitis, had been hospitalised for four months since birth, and faced the possibility of not being mentally fit a year later due to heavy antibiotic use.
Did the health concerns stop Sushmita Sen from adopting Renee?
No. Sushmita said the disclosure did not change her decision. She called her parents immediately after to tell them she had found Renee, describing it as a certainty she would not walk away from.
Where did Sushmita Sen share this adoption story?
Sushmita Sen recounted the story during an appearance on veteran actress Simi Garewal's popular chat show, where she spoke in detail about the emotional and medical circumstances of adopting Renee.
